Collapsible combined drape and canopy



Feb. 23, 1943. M. LANGE COLLAPSIBLE COMBINED DRAPE AND CANOPY Filed'Sept. 2, 1941 I5 Sheets-Sheet l mm wm /NvENv-QR.- B Mann/s LANGE Y v/fw/ A11-annex Feb. 23, 1945. M, LANGE GOLLAPSIBLE COMBINED DRAPE ANP .CANOPY Filed Sept. 2, 1941 3 sheets-sheet 2 #E E N Mm A Q EL T T W@ A ./R @j M@ Y% ym@ Febfs, 1943. M. LANGE 2,311,841

COLLAPSIBLE COMBINED DRAPE AND CANOPY Filed Sept. 2, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Il @y 6%@ M wf u 57 L TTQRNEY Patented Feb. 23, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ooLLAPsILE COMBINED I'JRAPE AND CANorY Morris Lange, University Heights, ohio Application september 2, 1941, serial No. 409,235 s. claims. (or. ias-) This invention relates to folding and portable backgrounds or settings used in funeral parlors or similar places for caskets and the like. The invention is an improvementI over the devices shown in the Patents Nos. 2,186,510 and 2,186,533 which were granted to Vernon F. Walter and mY- self on January 9, 1940. It includes the objects set forth in the aforementioned two patents and in addition thereto, provides an illuminated combined drapedv background and canopy which is collapsible and easily folded into a readily portable unitary carryingcase. Other objects of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following description and claims taken together with the accompanying drawings in which like parts are designated by like reference characters and wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the combined background and canopyv with parts cut away to show frame Work and structure;

Figure 2 is a top plan of the device shown in the Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a front elevation of part of the supporting frame and canopy frame in foldcd'posltion;

Figure 3';

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken along theline and in' the direction of the arrows 5--5 of the Figure 1;

Figure 6 is an enlarged plan view ofparts of the background and canopy Aframes, particularly showing a method of mounting and a means for collapsing same;

Figure 7 is a side elevation, partly in section of a portion of the frame in the direction of the arrows 1--1 of the Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view of a part of the supporting frame taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 8 8 of the Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a vertical sectional viewof a portion of the frame taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows 9-9 of the Figure 6; l

Figure 10 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the frame taken along. the line and in the direction of the arrows Ill- I0 of the Figure 6;'

Figure 11 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the frame taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows of the Figure 6;'

Figure 12 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of the frame with the parts assembled taken alongl the line and in the direction of the arrows 2| 2 of the Figure 13 and Figure 13 isa vertical sectional explodedvie'w ora portionV of the Iframe and canor'iyl members taken along the line and in the direction of the arrows |3-| 3 of the Figure 6.

The instant invention consists of three main elements. There is rst, the carrying case which also serves as a stand or base for the device when it is opened and second, the vertical curtain or draped background which is mounted in the case; and finally, the collapsible canopy member which is mounted on the vertical background and which member also includes the illuminating xture. Each of these main parts will be described in detail and in the order just mentioned.

The carrying case consists of a box-like structure having a bottom 2 I, vertical end walls 22 and longitudinal side walls 21 which connect the end Walls 22 and the bottom 2|. The bottom of the box is provided with horizontally telescoping legs 23 which, when expanded, provide a broader and firmer base for the opened device. The inside of the box is providedwith two spaced bracket members to which the vertical supports are pivoted. Each of the bracket members consist of a horizontal portion 24 which is rmly attached to the bottom 2| and a vertical portion 26 which is rig'- idly attached to the side Wall 22. Each vertical support is pivoted toy the bracket portions 2A and 26 with the pin 25.

The cover for this combination carrying case and base member is not'shown, inasmuch as its construction is conventional and well known to the art. However, a complete showing and description of a suitable case including the lid is contained in my co-pending application Serial N o. 361,423 which was filed by me October 16, ,1940, for a Collapsible costumer. The combination carrying case and base, together with the two vertical foldable supports are almost .identical in the two applications.

The vertical background is supported by the two foldable and normally vertical members 3|-32 each of which is pivoted to a carrying case bracket as heretofore mentioned. Each upper vertical support 32 is shown in the drawings as being pivoted to the lower vertical support 3| at the pin 35 and is held in' xe'd rigid alignment therewith by the collar portions 33 and 34. A full description and illustration of collar portions constituting this automatically locking hinge is also shown in my co'pending application Serial No. 361,423 which was previously referred to herein.

The top support member 32, being tubular, is provided with a telescoping insert 42 which may be raised orlowered tof adjustY the height oi the device. The'Figures 7 and 8 of the drawings clearly show this construction. The collar 36 is rigidly attached to the tubular member 32 and is provided with a trigger-like member 38 which is somewhat L shaped, is pivoted at the point 4| to the collar 36 and has a pointed end 40 which engages one of the spaced holes 43 in the slidable telescoping rod 42. A small set screw 31 is also mounted on the collar 36 so that the rod 42 may be readily set at any point without regard to the spacing of the holes 43 therein.

The top of the rod 42 is provided with a clevis head 44 which pivotly engages the brackets 45 at the pin 46, and rigidly attached to the brackets 45 and extending horizontally across the top of the device and connecting the two vertical supports, is the top rail 41.

Securely fastened to the top rail 41 and at points near to the two brackets 45, are double clevis members 48 one of which is shown in greater detail in the Figures 'l and 9. Extending outwardly from the lower portion of each of the double clevis members 48, is an extension side rail or arm 49 which normally extends outwardly from the vertical supports on a horizontal plane with the aforementioned top rail 41 and which is foldable thereagainst. The top portion of the double clevis member 48 is similarly provided with a forwardly extending arm 64. The two arms 49 and 64 are hingedly held in position by the vertical pin and wing nut The extreme outer ends of each of the two arms 48 are provided with clevises 52. Hingedly connected to these clevises 52 are wing member arms 53, each of which has an ornamentally curved end 53a. The arm 53 may be held in rigid engagement with the extension arm 49 at the clevis 52 by means of the vertical pin 54 and wing nut 51. The hinge pin 54, as shown in the Figure 13, has a head 55 and an upwardly extending pin 56 which temporarily engages the canopy arms 63 hereinafter described, When the two vertical supports 3| and the horizontal top rails and arms 41, 49 and 53 respectively are opened and extended fully, a substantial frame work is provided for the depending broad drapes hereinafter described in detail.

The collapsible canopy member which is particularly novel in devices of this type Consists of a folding frame work more clearly shown in the Figure 6 of the drawings. The primary supports for the canopy are the forwardly extending foldable arms 64-65. These are hinged together at their abutting ends by the pin 68 and by means of the hollow hinges 66 and 61. A spring 69 is mounted inside the hollow hinge members 66 and 61 which keeps the arms 64 and 65 in open position and in alignment when the canopy is extended. The portion 64 of the foldable arm is mounted on the double clevis heretofore described. The extreme forward end of the arm 65 turns on the pin 1| shown in the flexible joint illustrated in the Figure l1 of the drawings. The two outer ends of the extending rods 65 are connected by the arch-like ornamentally curved rail 6|.

In alignment with the arch-like rail 6| and substantially parallel with the arm 49, is the ornamental canopy side arms 62. The pin 1| heretofore referred to is firmly attached to the canopy arch 6| in a manner which permits the arms 62 and 65 to pivot thereon. This pivotal arrangement readily permits the folding of the device. The extreme outer ends of the two supports 62 are hingedly fastened to the forwardly extending rails 63 heretofore referred to. The

rear or loose ends of the rod 63 temporarily engage the upwardly extending pin 56 on the hinge pin head 55 and may be lifted and removed therefrom when the device is to be folded, but normally, when the device is in the open position, the lateral support 63 connects with the clevis 52 as shown in the Figure 13. The Figure 6 shows in broken lines, the alternate position of the rail 63 when it is temporarily removed from the pin 56,

The curtains for the vertical background are indicated by the characters 8|, 82, 83 and 86. The central portion of the background, the portion immediately above the carrying case and between the two vertical supports, is indicated by the character 8|. It is divided in the middle and the central portions are held in place by the tiebacks 81 so as to reveal a second decorative curtain 86 which may be of a more contrasting shade, color or ornamental design. The curtains 8| and 86 are suspended from the rail 41 in any convenient manner, however, if removably fastended thereto, the curtains can be more readily taken down and cleaned when necessary. The side panels 82 are made of material similar to the central curtains 8| and are similarly suspended from the horizontal arms 49. Likewise, the depending wing curtains 83 are hung on the extension arms 53-53a. The wing curtains 83, however, should be doubled so that the top surface of the textile material is visible when the wing arms 53 happen to be turned inward. This folding of the wing arms may be necessary at times to accommodate smaller display spaces.

The canopy curtain is indicated in the drawing by the characters l84, and 88. The top portion of the canopy 84 extends from the canopy arch members 6| and 62 rearwardly to the horizontal rails 41 and 49 respectively. A depending curtain 85 is mounted on the laterally extending arms 6| and 62, and side canopy curtains 88 hang from the forwardly projecting arms 63 and connect the forward curtain 85 with the two rear side section curtains 82.

The illuminating device herein referred to is indicated in the drawings by the character 9| and is mounted on the arch member 6| below and inside the curtains 84 and 65. The lighting fixture 9| is itself not visible. However, the light emanating therefrom is directed downward and illuminates the background and the floor surface below the canopy.

The frame work of the device, when fully opened, appears as shown in the Figures l and 2, and when fully closed, is collapsible and containable in the carrying case much in the manner illustrated in the Figure 4. The carrying case is large enough to contain the curtains and the illuminating device referred to, and when the unit is completely assembled, collapsed and folded, is quite compact and portable. It furthermore, may be quickly and easily set up by one person without the aid of special tools or equipment. The manner of opening and closing the device is obvious. There is no special sequence of steps which must be followed in either the opening or closing operations as it will be noted that when the cover of the carrying case is removed, each successive step of the operation becomes obvious that is apparent to anyone familiar with devices of this type.

One of the many advantages found in this device is that the background member may be used without the canopy member if desired. The canopy frame and curtain portion can easily and quickly be removed by simply disconnecting the forwardly extending arms 63 and 54 from their respective clevises and joints referred to. The canopy curtain being independent of the background curtain is separable therefrom.

It will now be clear that there is provided by this invention a collapsible combined drape and canopy which accomplishes the objects herein set forth. While the invention has been illustrated and described in its preferred form, it is, nevertheless, to be understood that the embodiment of the invention as set forth herein is not to be considered in a limiting sense as there may be other forms or modifications of the invention which are also considered to be within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A combined drape and canopy device, comprising in combinationy a base member, the said base member forming a carrying case when the device is in a closed condition and forming a supporting base when in an open position, a substantially vertically disposed curtain supporting member mounted on the base member, and a canopy supporting member mounted on and projecting forwardly and outwardly of the front of the curtain supporting member, and means whereby the said curtain and canopy members are foldable so as to be receivable within the carrying case when the device is in the closed ccndition.

2. A combined drape and canopy device, comprising in combination, a collapsible partition adapted to be draped including a base portion forming a carrying case when the device is in the closed condition and forming a supporting structure when the device is in the open condition, side wing members mounted on the said partition, and a collapsible canopy supporting member mounted on the said partition between the side wing members and projecting forwardly and outwardly of the front of the partition.

3. A combined drape and canopy device including a base, a main frame having vertical side mem-bers connected to the base, a horizontal top rail connected to the vertical members, horizontal side rails extending outwardly from and movably connected to the top rail, horizontal foldable wings extending outwardly from the outer ends of the side rails, a canopy support including a horizontally disposed arched rail spaced forwardly of the top rail, foldable transverse arms connecting the arched rail to the main frame, and side arms movably connected to the arched rail and to the top rail of the main frame, for supporting a top canopy curtain adapted to be connected to the arched rail and to the top rail and having a depending front curtain and depending end curtains, curtains adapted to be connected to the side arms of the arched rail, curtains connected to and depending from the top rail of the main frame, and other curtains connected to the side rails and to the wings of the main frame and depending therefrom.

4. A combined drape and canopy device including a base, a main frame having a top rail and vertical members connected thereto and to the basejhorizontal side members extending outwardly from and connected to the top rail whereby to support curtains carried by and depending from each of the top rail and side members, a canopy frame for supporting a horizontal top curtain and a depending front curtain, and means to support the canopy frame from the main frame so that the front curtain may hang spaced forwardly from the curtains of the main frame.

5. A combined drape and canopy device including a base, a main frame having vertical side members connected to the base, a horizontal top rail connected to the vertical members, horizontal sid-e members extending outwardly from and foldably connected to the top rail, a canopy support including a horizontally disposed rail spaced forwardly of the top rail, foldable transverse rails connecting the canopy rail to the top rail of the main frame, and side members movably connected to the canopy rail, for supporting a top canopy curtain connected to the canopy rail and to the top rail of the main frame and having a depending front curtain, curtains connected to and depending from the side members of the canopy rail, curtains connected to and depending from the top rail of the main frame, and other curtains connected to the side rails and to the side members of the main frame and depending therefrom.

6. A combined drape and canopy device including a base, a main frame having vertical side members connected to the base, a horizontal top rail connected to the vertical members, side members extending outwardly from and foldably connected to the top rail, foldable Wings extending outwardly from the outer ends of the side rails, and a canopy support including a rail spaced forwardly of the top rail, transverse members movably connected to the canopy rail and to the main frame, and side members movably connected to the canopy rail, whereby to support curtains connected to and depending from said side members of the canopy rail, a top canopy curtain connected to the canopy rail and to the top rail of the main frame and having a depending front curtain, curtains connected to and depending from the top rail of the main frame, and other curtains connected to the side members and to the wings of the main frame and depending therefrom.

MORRIS LANGE. 

